Journal of Medical Diagnostic Methods
Open Access

Amplification Refractory Mutation System

The amplification-refractory mutation system (ARMS) is a simple method for detecting any mutation involving single base changes or small deletions. ARMS is based on the use of sequence-specific PCR primers that allow amplification of test DNA only when the target allele is contained within the sample. Following an ARMS reaction, the presence or absence of a PCR product is diagnostic for the presence or absence of the target allele.